


let's not wait for decades to pass

by hufflebee



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 12:25:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11828715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflebee/pseuds/hufflebee
Summary: The first thing she does is check as she crunches down beside the woman is the woman’s wrist, and while it’s covered in blood, she finds a faint pulse, and then she finally looks at the woman’s face.Dot.They haven’t seen each other in decades, Cat can’t even recall how many. The two of them, along with Magnus and Ragnor, used to try and see each other every few years, but as it often happens, the meetings became less and less frequent, especially after Dot decided to start helping Jocelyn Fairchild. Cat had hoped they’d see each other again, as she hopes for all warlocks, but this was definitely not what she had in mind.





	let's not wait for decades to pass

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: hufflebee.tumblr.com

Cat is dragging her feet, the weight of her night shift becoming heavier with each step, as she makes her way to her apartment. She turns the last corner in the hallway and stops, freezes at the sight in front of her door. Messy lines of blood paint the door, leading to the woman slumped against it, her clothes torn and burned. Cat snaps out of her shock and then her body starts moving on its own, decades of work kicking in as her mind tries to process what is happening.

The first thing she does is check as she crunches down beside the woman is the woman’s wrist, and while it’s covered in blood, she finds a faint pulse, and then she finally looks at the woman’s face.

 _Dot_.

They haven’t seen each other in decades, Cat can’t even recall how many. The two of them, along with Magnus and Ragnor, used to try and see each other every few years, but as it often happens, the meetings became less and less frequent, especially after Dot decided to start helping Jocelyn Fairchild. Cat had hoped they’d see each other again, as she hopes for all warlocks, but this was definitely not what she had in mind.

She glances at both ends of the hallway, making sure no one is there, before calling upon her magic, working to heal the most critical injuries so that she can move Dot inside. It takes a while, the injuries oozing demonic energy, but then Dot gasps, her eyes flying open. Cat catches her eye immediately and she sees realization settle in Dot’s face, a soft sigh leaving her lips.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” she croaks out, and immediately starts coughing. Cat lifts her up by her arms, gently leading them inside, thankful Madzie is staying with another warlock tonight. Carefully, they make their way to the couch and Cat continues working on Dot’s injuries, the only sounds in the apartment the crackling of her magic and pained gasps coming from Dot.

What feels like hours later, Dot’s injuries are healed, her eyes closing slowly. Cat moves to get up, knowing she needs to not only make a potion for Dot, but for herself as well, but then Dot catches her wrist. Cat looks at her, anguish gone from her face, and she barely hears the whispered ‘ _thank you_ ’ before Dot falls asleep, her hand falling from Cat’s wrist.

 

* * *

 

After a few days, Dot is recovered almost fully, her strength returning, her smile more present. She hasn’t mentioned leaving, and Cat hasn’t either, enjoying having someone there with her and Madzie. Dot watches her while Cat is at work, and it’s on the fifth day when Cat is walking home that she realizes that she’s looking forward to seeing Dot more than her bed, which is saying a lot, especially after a double shift. She opens the door slowly, mindful of the late hour, and finds Dot sitting on the couch, a book in her lap.

She looks up as the door shuts behind Cat, and smiles, easy and bright, a smile Cat can’t help but return. She makes her way over, falling into the couch beside Dot, their legs touching and she pretends not to notice, ignoring how it makes her heart jump.

“How was work?” Dot asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Exhausting,” Cat says, not wanting to think about it. “How was Madzie today?”

“Good,” Dot says, and after a moment, adds, “She asked about Alec.”

Cat shakes her head, waving her hand in dismissal. Madzie often asks about both Magnus and Alec, but given the current state of things, Cat just keeps finding ways to postpone visits, avoid questions.

They sit in silence, but Cat doesn’t feel the need to break it, enjoying the stillness and calm of the moment after hours upon hours of chaos. She throws a few glances at Dot, noting the fidgeting of her fingers, the biting of her lip and the way she keeps glancing away when Cat catches her gaze.

“Spill,” Cat says after a few moments, and Dot barely seems startled for longer than a second, before getting up and starting to pace in front of Cat.

“I was hoping that, if you don’t mind, I could maybe, stay here, until all this blows over,” Dot starts, still pacing, still not looking at Cat. “I don’t want to impose, but there is nowhere else I feel safe and with Valentine out there still, I… As much as I try, I keep getting sucked into this mess and I just can’t do it anymore.”

Cat nods, anger rising inside her not only at Valentine, but at all the Shadowhunters that had brought Dot into this mess. She swallows it down, for now at least, because anger is not what Dot needs right now. Cat gets up, moving in front of Dot, and she takes her hands into her own, gently, still pretending not to notice her heart soaring at the touch.

“You can stay here as long as you wish, my dear,” Cat says, smiling at how Dot’s shoulders relax, a small smile appearing on her lips. They stand like that, hands still connect between them, and it might be the exhaustion, but Cat thinks she can see a hint of blush on Dot’s cheeks, and when she squeezes her hands, Dot sighs, a happy, soft sound that settles into Cat’s heart.

“Drink of choice? I think we should toast to this,” Cat says after a bit, letting go of Dot’s hands to move into the kitchen. She hears Dot laugh behind her, more carefree than she remembers ever hearing.

“I can see why you and Magnus get along so well,” Dot says, and Cat bursts out laughing as well. They settle on red wine, and before Cat truly notices, the bottle is almost empty, and she and Dot are sitting on the couch, close enough for their knees to be touching. They had shared stories and laughs, but now they’re quiet, eyes somewhere over each other’s shoulders, until they’re not. Neither of them say anything as their eyes settle on each other and Cat watches Dot, the faint blush, the slightly unfocused eyes, and while she knows a lot of that is due to the wine, Cat can’t help but hope it isn’t just that.

 

* * *

 

It was finally over.

Valentine was dead, the Downworld was safe, and Magnus had sounded like himself again on the phone, and if Cat heard a soft voice calling for him to get back to bed, she chose to not mention it. As she hangs up the phone, she glances over at Madzie’s room; one where Dot is just tucking her in and Cat’s heart sinks. With Valentine gone, would Dot want to leave? Would it be another decade, or two or three, until they would see each other again?

Dot closes the door of Madzie’s room softly, and stops in her tracks when she sees Cat.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yes, more than,” Cat rushes out. “That was Magnus. Valentine and Jonathan, Sebastian, whoever, they’re both dead. It’s over.”

Dot stands there for a beat, and then laughs, like music, and strides over to Cat, throwing her arms around her. They hold each other for a while, letting the news settle in, and Cat breathes her in, unable to shake the thought that this may be goodbye.

When Dot pulls away, she does so just barely, her hands on Cat’s elbows, her face only a breath away from Cat’s. The moment feels charged, and it’s begging to be broken, and it is when Dot closes the distance between them, pressing her lips to Cat’s. It’s only for a split second that Cat’s entire body freezes and then she’s kissing back, hands moving to Dot’s neck and hips, pulling her closer. The kiss turns deeper, soft breaths and moans getting caught between their lips, and when they pull away, they’re both just slightly breathless.

“I don’t want decades to pass before we see each other again,” Cat says; moving one of her hands to Dot’s cheek, thumb slightly caressing the soft skin beneath her eyes. “Or to find you barely alive at my doorstep when we do.”

Dot breathes out a laugh and nods, lightly wrapping her fingers around Cat’s wrist.

“Me neither.”


End file.
